WOe (2025)
Directed by Devyn Nace
Short | Experimental | Student
Director Statement
Woe is a film that has lived in my mind for years, evolving, lingering, and waiting for the right moment to take shape. I’ve dwelled on its creation for so long that finally seeing it come to life feels both surreal and deeply fulfilling. Every element—every shot, every sound, every unsettling moment—fell into place in a way that felt inevitable, as if the film had been waiting for me just as much as I had been waiting for it.
This is not a film that offers a single, definitive meaning. Woe is meant to be experienced, interpreted, and felt in ways that are unique to each viewer. It means something deeply personal to me, just as it has meant something different to everyone who has watched it. That’s what I love most—hearing others’ interpretations, each one valid, each one revealing a new perspective that even I may not have considered.
More than anything, Woe is an invitation: to feel, to question, to linger in discomfort, and to embrace the unknown. I couldn't be more proud of this film, and I hope it stays with you long after the credits fade.
Synopsis
A young woman keeps calling, but her lover won’t pick up— not after what she did. She is stuck in a cycle of chasing highs just to come crashing down into unbearable sorrows. From moments of euphoria to anxiously pacing her bedroom, she just wants to reunite with her lover again, to feel loved, to feel like she matters. Her boyfriend wants her back, but she is all alone in this limbo of Woe.
Credits
Director, Writer, & Editor | Devyn Nace
Cast | Jaden Ng
Cast | Frankie Choi
Gaffer | Chad Varnado
Sound | Aileen Samayoa
Choreographer | Joseph Deocares
Script Editor | Gavin Ayers
Production Assistant | Jason Ahn
Music | “825 hp” by Exodia
Specifications
Genre | Experimental & Drama
Runtime | (05:56)
Completion Date | January 12, 2025
Production Budget | 100 USD
Country of Origin | United States
Country of Filming | San Francisco, United States
Language | English
Shooting Format | Digital
Film Color | Color
Student Project | San Francisco State University
Special thanks to our Donors and Helpers
Shaun Nace,
Shaghayegh Bibiyan,
Kourosh Bibiyan,
& Jason Ahn